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| Socialist
Party
USA:
Statements |
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A Call For an International Socialist
Feminist Work Group
by Susan Dorazio, Chair SPUSA Women's Commission
One hundred years ago, as now, a united working class organized across
national borders was a basic tenet of socialism, forming the basis of
such international gatherings as the Socialist International in
Copenhagen in 1910 that gave rise to International Women’s Day.
Over the past century, the effects of invention, technology, world
wars, large-scale immigration, and the daring accomplishments of
artists, writers, political theorists and activists – not to mention
the dramatic photos of earth from space—have vastly increased people’s
global consciousness. Our awareness of global interdependence is
now enhanced by an accumulation of knowledge, experiences, and options
for global communication.
Thus, as we socialists move the theory and practice of internationalism
into the second decade of the 21st Century, we have the potential for
bringing about broader and deeper forms of internationalism, ones that
take the principle of solidarity to new levels.
One such possibility is an international socialist feminist work group
growing out of personal and political contacts among women comrades in
the democratic socialist movement. Coming together at the
international level, on both a personal and political basis, will
enable us as to confront critical global issues—such as the climate
crisis, the economic meltdown, imperialist wars and occupations,
erosion of civil liberties, and the deterioration of the infrastructure
of our cities, towns, and regions— in a particularly concerted and
cooperative way.
Central to the creation of such a work group would be the conviction
that the concepts of socialist feminism, and structures such as an
international socialist feminist workgroup, are essential to the goals
and methods of the democratic socialist movement. This sense of
purpose will arise from our belief that this effort prefigures the kind
of structures and processes we will expect in the socialist society we
are working to create.
Coupled with conviction and purpose must be persistence. Forming such a
work group won’t be easy. Language, cultural, and political
differences will impede us. The stresses of poverty, lack of
support services, and too many demands on our time and energy are also
inhibiting factors. But we can’t give up. Those of us who
have been able to stay in touch with socialist feminist comrades both
in our own countries and in other parts of the world can attest to what
an important and energizing experience it is.
In building the work group, there will be many socialist feminist
principles to keep in mind. First and foremost would be our
commitment to placing radical demands in an explicitly socialist
feminist context. This may seem obvious, but all too often our
organizing efforts get derailed as we defer to liberals, rely on
hierarchical structures, or avoid discussion of political differences
(for example, the role of electoral activity in party and movement
building).
Two major global issues requiring immediate international socialist
feminist intervention are the environmental crisis and the assault on
the public sector. Last December, local and international actions and
events held in conjunction with the UN Climate Change Summit in
Copenhagen made it very clear that a synthesis between revolutionary
socialism and radical environmentalism must be achieved in order for
the planet to survive.
Guiding the way are the socialist feminist theorists and radical
activists of the past 40 years, as well as the principles and analysis
of revolutionary ecology as articulated so well by the late Earth
First! activist and IWW labor organizer, Judi Bari—a position that
views the environmental movement as inextricably linked to the
struggles for women’s rights, workers’ rights, human rights, and civil
liberties.
Concurrently, we must take to the streets to focus attention on the
worldwide assault on the public sector that has significantly
intensified during this period of high unemployment and dire cutbacks
in services. This assault denies us our basic rights,
disproportionately affects women, and exposes the heartless and
calculated policies and practices of global capitalism.
A red-green program would be built around such demands as “30 Hours
Work for 40 Hours Pay”, “Tax the Rich”, “End Oil Drilling and Coal
Mining: Social Ownership of Clean Energy”, “No Over-Crowded
Classrooms—20 is Plenty”, “Health Care Not Warfare”, “Jobs and
Services, Not Jails and Cutbacks”, “Rights, Raises, and Respect”,
“Community Control of Our Cities, Towns, and Neighborhoods”, “Useful
Work in Safe, Healthy Surroundings”, “Worker Control of Work Places,
“System Change not Climate Change”, “Yes to Free Trains and
Buses, No to Polluting Cars and Planes”, “Schools Not Bombs”, and
“Honor the Interdependence of All Living Things”.
Once our international socialist feminist work group decides on a
project, there are several possibilities for collaboration. These
include a common set of demands, a joint press release and leaflet, and
an online calendar of our various actions and events. We can also
share our planning processes, photos, our post-event assessments, and
any media coverage we get—and put together statements on issues of both
immediate and ongoing concern to socialist women and to the democratic
socialist movement.
Future internationally coordinated campaigns could be organized around
such issues as violence against women; the economic crisis; war and
peace; abortion rights and reproductive justice; heterosexism and LGBTQ
rights; women’s rights and workers’ rights; the intersection of youth
and women’s issues; stresses on children and families; and the
harassment and scapegoating of immigrants and people of color.
In 1910, the women of the Socialist International were deeply committed
to helping transform society from capitalism to socialism. As
founders of International Women’s Day, they put forward a revolutionary
agenda backed by militant activism. Their strategies were based on
education, organization, and agitation. They weren’t afraid
to debate women’s rights dissenters in their own parties, or to form
left-wing blocks within broad social movements.
Today, we can continue their work by heeding, with the utmost urgency,
Rosa Luxemburg’s prophetic words, “Socialism or barbarism.”
Creating an international socialist feminist work group would be an
empowering and significant step toward the all-important goal of
eliminating capitalism from the face of the earth.
Susan Dorazio is a member of the Women’s Commission of the SP-USA.
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